Adjustable loom



D. c. EBEK 3,403,704

ADJUSTABLE LOOM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 1, 1968 Filed Feb. 27, 1967 llll D. C. REBEK ADJUSTABLE LOOM Oct. l, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 27, 1967 Illllllllll l Ilillllllllliill Oct. l, 1968 D'. c. REBEK 3,403,704

ADJUSTABLE LOOM Filed Fem 27. 1967 3 sheets-sheet s United States Patent O 3,403,704 ADJUSTABLE LOOM Dennis C. Rebek, 2134 N. 39th St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53208 Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,813 15 Claims. (Cl. 139-34) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is a loom having a frame assembly including two cross members mounted for coordinated movement relative to each other alonlg transversely extending paths such that the distance from one cross member through the path intersection to the other member is generally constant notwithstanding such relative movement. Also disclosed herein is a stand for mounting such a frame assembly in a manner affording Vertical height adjustment of the frame assembly.

Background of the invention Rectangular fra-me looms have long been known and are commonly used in therapeutic work. However, such looms usually were stationarily positioned, and when using such looms, because the work area progressed from one end of the loom to the other, it was often difficult or even impossible for some patients to use such devices.

Summary of invention The invention disclosed herein provides a loom which is arranged so that the work area can be retained in a region most adapted to the needs of the user and which is adapted for use by bed patients, by wheel chair patients, as well as by others. More specifically, a loom according to the invention comprises a frame assembly including a pair of cross members which are cooperably movable along angularly related and intersecting paths such that the distance from the rst cross member to the path intersection and to the second cross member is generally constant notwithstanding movement of the cross members. Such arrangement provides a work area which can be located adjacent to the area of the path intersection notwithstanding continued work on the product which is being made on loom. In this last regard, the provision of a loom having angularly related portions which can respectively and simultaneously be increased or decreased in length, as compared to the prior generally planar looms, permits removal out of the plane of work of the nished part of the product being made on the loom so as to avoid interference with the legs of a wheel chair user or with the torso of a bed patient. In addition, the invention provides for adjusting the vertical height of the loom so that the work area can be accommodated to bed and wheel chair patients.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become known by the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Brie]c description of the drawings FIGURE l is a side elevational view of a device embodying various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is another side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 with the components in a different position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device shown in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional View taken generally along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

3,403,704 Patented Oct. l, 1968 rice Detailed description of the invention Shown in the drawings is a device in the form of a loom 11 including a stand or support 13, together with a loom frame assembly 15 having a pair of spaced cross members 17 and 19 which, in service, are connected by a series of generally parallel threads or stands 21 (see FIG. 3) into which a pattern is woven to produce a product 23. The cross members 17 and 19 are mounted for coordinated movement relative to each other and to the stand 13 along intersecting paths and such that the distance from one of the cross member 17 through the path intersection to the other of the cross member 19 remains substantially constant, notwithstanding such relative movement, so as to retain proper tension on the strands 21. In this last regard, the loom frame assembly 15 also includes a guide 25 which is carried approximately at the point of intersection of the paths and which is preferably in the form of a roller around which the strands 21 are partially trained so as to afford movement of the strands 21 around and relative to the guide 25 as the cross members 17 and 19 are moved. The roller includes a series of spaced annular notches 26 as shown in FIG. 3.

The disclosed loom 11 also includes means for raising and lowering the loom frame assembly 15 relative to the stand 13 and for removably engaging the stand 13 on the oor or ground wherever desired.

More particularly, the stand 13 comprises a pair of inverted T-shaped members 29 each of which includes an upright standard 31 and a horizontal lower leg 33. The T-shaped members 29 are transversely interconnected, as shovm best in FIG. 3, by a beam 35 as well as by other means to be disclosed hereinafter.

As shown best in FIG. 6, on each of the standards 31, there is mounted a frame support or intermediate member 39 which is vertically movable relative to the stand 13 and which serves to support the loom frame assembly 15. More particularly, each frame support member 39 comprises a generally triangular shaped element y41 having, as seen in FIGS. l and 2, an upper edge 40, which will be referred to later, a vertically extending strap member 45, and a bracket 47 rotatably carrying a cross rod 51 which, in turn, freely rotatably carries the guide or roller 25.

Further in this regard, means are provided for raising and lowering each of the support members 39 relative to the associated standards 31 and for guiding movement of the support members 39 along a vertical path, thereby raising and lowering the loom frame assembly 15. While various means can be employed, in the disclosed construction, the means for guiding vertical movement of the intermediate support members 39 comprises, with respect to each support member (see FIG. 6), a vertically elongated guide slot 53 in the adjacent vertical standard 31, together with a pair of bolted members 55 Iwhich extend from a cover `plate 57 (see FIG. l), through the adjacent guide slot 53 and through the adjacent strap 45 (see FIG. 6) of the support member 39.

The means for vertically adjusting the support or intermediate member 39 comprises, on each of thestandards 31, and as shown best in FIG. 8, a vertically extending rack 61, together with a cross shaft 63 which extends through bearings 65 on the strap members 45, and through the guide slots 53, to thereby also serve as a part of the means for guiding vertical travel of the support members 39. Adjacent each end, the cross shaft 63 carries pinions 67 engaged with the adjacent vertically extending rack 61 and also carries, at each end, a handle 69 for rotation of the cross shaft 63 so as to effect raising and lowering of the intermediate support or member 39.

Means are also provided for releasably locking the support member 39 in selectively adjusted vertical positions. While various means can be employed, in the disclosed construction, such means comprises, at each of the standards, a bell crank lever 73 which is pivotally mounted on the cross shaft 63 and which includes one leg 75 which serves as a handle and a second leg 77 which can be pivoted into a position engaging a tooth of the adjacent rack 61 to prevent downward movement of the cross shaft 63 relative to the rack 61.

Thus, in operation, rotation of the cross shaft 63 by one of the handles 69 serves to walk the cross shaft 63 up and down the racks 61, thereby correspondingly raising and lowering the intermediate or support members 39 relative to the standards 31. When it is desired to retain the intermediate members 39 in selected position, one or both of the bell cranks 73 is located so as to engage or lock the legs 77 with the racks 61 so as to prevent downward movement. The resulting lock can be released by rotating the cross shaft 63 to slightly elevate the cross shaft 63 and thereby disengage the leg or legs 77 from restraining engagement with the rack or racks 61.

In accordance with the invention, the loom frame assembly includes the pair of cross members 17 and 19 which are mounted for movement relative to each other so that the strands 21 interconnecting the cross members remain under generally constant tension. While various constructions can be employed, each of the cross members forms one portion of a pair of U-shaped frames which are hereinafter sometimes referred to as a vertical frame 79 and a horizontal frame S1. Each of the frames has respective opposed parallel legs 83 and 85 which extend from the cross members 17 and 19 and which are pivoted about the cross rod 51. The frames 79 and 81 are simultaneously movable relative to each other and on paths which generally intersect at the axis of the cross rod 51 i.e., the axis of the guide or roller 25.

More particularly, the legs 83 of the vertical frame are guided for vertical movement. Various means can be employed, and, in the enclosed construction, such means is in the form of vertical rods 87 (see FIG. l) carried by each of the standards 31 and in the form of one or more eyes 89 which are mounted on each of the vertical legs 83 and which receive the rods 87. In addition, guidance is provided by passage of the cross rod 51 through elongated slots 91 in the legs 83. The means for guiding transverse movement of the transverse frame 81 comprises, in one embodiment, the upper edges 43 of the elements 41 along which the transverse frame 81 is displaceable and the cross rod 51 upon which the roller 25 is mounted and which extends through elongated slots 93 in the legs 85.

Means are provided for simultaneously vertically moving the vertical frame 79 and for transversely moving the transverse -frame 81. While various arrangements can be employed in the disclosed construction, such means includes means in the form of the cross shaft 51 upon which the guide 25 rotates, which cross rod 51 extends through elongated slots 91 in the vertical legs of the vertical frame 79, and through the elongated slots 93 in the transverse legs 85 of the transverse frame 81. At each end, the cross rod 51 includes a handle 97 outwardly of the adjacent standard 31 to afford rotation of the cross rod 51. In addition, the cross rod 51 carries (see FIG. 3), adjacent each of the standards, a iirst pinion 99 4 engaged with a vertically extending rack 101 on the adjacent leg 83 of the vertical frame 79 and (see FIGS. 3 and 6) a second pinion 105 engaged with a longitudinally extending rack 107 on the adjacent leg 85 of the transverse frame S1.

Means are provided for retaining engagement of the pinions 99 and 105 with the racks 101 and 107 for assisting in guiding the movement of the frames 79 and S1 relative to the cross rod 51. While various arrangements can be employed, as shown best in FIGURES 4 and 5, in the disclosed construction, such means comprises, in connection with the vertical frame 79, a bracket 111 having one leg 113 including an aperture 114 through which the cross rod 51 extends and a flange 115 which supports the surface 117 of the vertical leg 83 in remotely spaced relation t0 the slot 91 to prevent such separation of the leg segments on opposed sides of the slot 91 as might otherwise afford disengagement of the pinion 99 from the rack 161. A similar bracket 119 is employed in connection with the transverse frame 81.

Various means can be employed to releasably secure or anchor the loom or device 11 at a selected position on a floor or other support. In the disclosed construction, such means includes the `before-mentioned horizontal legs 33 together with means for raising and lowering the legs 33 from the ground. Such leg raising and lowering means comprises a block member 123 associated with each of the legs 33, on each of which block members 123 there is mounted a pair of casters 125. The block members 123 are guided for vertical movement relative to the horizontal legs 33 by headed screws 127 extending through vertical slots 129 in the block member 123 and into the horizontal legs 33.

Connected to each of the block members 123 is a push rod 131 which passes through a series of eyes or guides 132 on the adjacent standards 31 and which, at its upper end, is connected to a vertically extending rack element 133. Each of the rack elements 133 is engaged by a pinion 135, which pinions 135 are mounted on a common cross shaft 136 having handles 139 at each end, whereby rotation of one of the handles 139 serves to vertically displace the push rods 131 so as to raise and lower the block members 123 relative to'the horizontal legs 33. Thus, when the caster block members 123 are lowered relative to the legs 33 so as to engage the ground, the horizontal legs 33 are lifted off the ground to permit movement of the device 11. Conversely, when the caster block members 123 are elevated relative to the horizontal legs 33, the legs 33 are engaged with the ground to support, secure, and/or anchor the device 11 in a given position.

Means are provided to releasably lock the caster block members 123 in adjusted position relative to the standards 31. Such means comprises sliding members 137 which are respectively located on the top of each standard 31 which are respectively adapted to slide into a position of engagement with the one or more of the teeth of the adjacent rack element 133 to prevent downward pushrod movement relative to the associated standard 31. Withdrawal of the slide members 137 from interfering engagement with the rack element 133 upon slight upward movement of the rack element 133 affords release of the locked condition of the caster block members 123 relative to the horizontal legs 33.

In the specically disclosed construction, the transverse frame 81 is guided for movement along a path dened, in part, by the projection of the cross rod 51 through the slots 93 and engagement of the transverse legs 85 with the upper edge 43 of the elements 41. If desired, the transverse frame 81 can be located in other angular relations to the vertical frame 79. Accordingly, in the disclosed construction, means are provided (see FIG. l) for adjusting the angular relation between the frames 79 and 81 without otherwise altering the arrangement affording coordinated movement. Such means comprises a pair or more of support ropes or lines 141 which are attached to the cross beam 35 extending between the standards 31 and which are wound on reels 143 mounted adjacent to the cross member 19 of the transverse frame 81. Preferably, all of the reels 143 are secured to a single cross rod 145 which can be rotated from either side of the device. Accordingly, lengthening or shortening of the ropes 141 adjusts the angle between the frames 79 and 81. It is noted that the ropes 141 must be adjusted as the frames 79 and 81 are moved relative to each other or as the loom is raised or lowered in order to approximately retain any given angular relation between the frames 79 and 81.

In some instances, it is desirable to construct the transverse legs 85 in hinged segments (not shown) such that, forwardly of the standards 31, the leg segments can pivot relative to each other and drape downwardly rather than extending rigidly, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 1.

It should be noted that although the disclosed construction shows vertical and transverse legs 83 and 85 including elongated slots 91 and 93, it is not essential that the legs be slotted in order to obtain the advantages of the invention. Thus, there is shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1 a transverse leg 85 which is formed by a series of segments 147 which are hinged to one another as shown in FIG. 1 and which include rack sections 149. It is noted that the brackets 119 serve to retain the segmented leg 85 in adjacent relation to the cross rod 51 so as to maintain engagement between the pinion 105 and the rack sections 149. As also shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1, the element 41 can be extended forwardly to provide a downwardly directed guiding edge 151. Use of segmented transverse legs make easier access to a patient from the side when the cross members are directed generally as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown best in FIGURES 7 and 8, the handles 69 and 139 are preferably fitted with pivotally mounted knobs 153 which can be swung inwardly of the device 11 when not in use so as to remove the knobs from positions which might possibly result in unintended injury to passersby.

In operation, rotation of the handle 97 will cause rotation of the shaft 51 and the pinions 99 and 105. Such rotation of the pinions 99 will cause vertical travel of the frame 79 and rotation of the pinions 105 will cause displacement of the frame 81 simultaneously with vertical travel of the frame 79. As a consequence, when the user completes a portion of the product between the roller 25 and the cross member 17, one of the handles 97 can be operated to withdraw the recently completed portion of the product away from the user, i.e., downwardly in FIG. 3, and to the `right in FIG. 1, whereby the work area can be maintained in relatively constant location adjacent to the roller 25, notwithstanding continuing progress in completion of the overall product.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A loom comprising a stand, a first cross member, a second cross member, means on said stand for mounting said cross members for movement relative to each other and relative to said stand along intersecting paths, and means for coordinating movement of said cross members such that the distance from said first cross member through the intersection of said paths to said second cross member remains substantially constant during movement of said members along said paths.

2. A loom in accordance with claim 1 including means for selectively raising and lowering said cross members as a unit.

3. A loom in accordance with claim 1 including means for releasably securing said stand relative to a oor.

4. A loom comprising a stand, a vertically movable member on said stand, and a loom frame assembly including a first frame having a cross member and a second frame extending transversely to said first frame and including a cross member, means pivotally mounting said first and second frames on said vertically movable member for movement relative to each other along intersecting paths, and means for moving said members in coordinated relation to each other such that the distance from said first frame cross member through the intersection of said paths to said second frame cross member remains generally constant during relative movement between said tirst and second frames.

5. A device comprising a stand, a vertically movable support member on said frame, a cross rod supported by said support member and carrying first and second pinions, a first frame including a cross member extending parallel to said cross rod and a rack engaged with said first pinion, and a second frame extending transversely of said first frame and including a cross member parallel to said cross rod and a rack engaged with said second pinion, said racks and said pinions being dimensioned such that, in response to rotation of said rod, said frames move relative to said rod at the same rate of travel.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 including an L-shaped bracket having a first leg with an aperture receiving said rod and a fiange engaged with said first frame to retain said first frame rack in engagement with said first pinion.

7. A device in accordance with claim 5 including an L-shaped bracket having a first leg with an aperture receiving said rod and a flange engaged with said second frame to retain said second frame rack in engagement with said second pinion.

8. A device in `accordance with claim 5 wherein said stand includes spaced inverted T-shaped members and a cross beam connecting said members and wherein each of said members has vertically movably mounted thereon one of said support members.

9. A device in accordance with claim 5 including means on said stand for guiding movement of said first frame in a vertical direction.

10. A device in accordance with claim 5 including means on said stand for guiding movement of said second frame in a horizontal direction.

11. A device in accordance with claim 5 including means on said stand for guiding vertical movement of said support member, and means for releasably locking said support member in adjusted vertical position relative to said stand.

12. A device in accordance with claim 5 including means for raising and lowering said stand from engagement with the floor and means for releasably locking said stand in spaced relation above said floor.

13. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second frame is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of legs extending from said cross member and wherein each of said legs comprises a series of pivotally connected segments, each segment including thereon a rack section.

14. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said cross rod has rotatably mounted thereon a roller.

15. A device according to claim 5 including a handle at each end of said rod to afford rotation thereof to effect relative movement between said frames.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 760,919 5/ 1904 Poole 139--29 1,572,549 2/1926 Meehan 28--15 2,601,222 6/1952 Wehrli 139-34 FOREIGN PATENTS 600,902 7/1960 Canada.

HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner. 

